Abstract:

The claimed subject matter relates to configuring a host device through utilization of MMP, which is a protocol that is based upon MIP but not associated with several deficiencies associated therewith. In particular, a wireless terminal can be configured to run MMP and send messages that conform to MMP over a wireless link. A base station can be configured to act as a DHCP server. The base station can provide configuration information to host device by way of DHCP.

Claims:

1. A method for configuring a host device, comprising:receiving a request with respect to registering a wireless terminal by way of MMP;providing an IP address to the wireless terminal by way of MMP; andconfiguring a host associated with the wireless terminal by way of DHCP.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:providing request for a home address to a home agent by way of MIP; andreceiving the home address by way of MIP.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the home address by way of MIP comprises receiving the home address by one or MIPv4 and MIPv6.

4. A base station configured to perform the method of claim 1.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received request includes a field that identifies whether the request is an initial request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a physical link between the wireless terminal and a base station.

7. A communications apparatus, comprising:a memory that retains instructions for:receiving a request with respect to registering a wireless terminal by way of MMP;providing an IP address to the wireless terminal by way of MMP; andconfiguring a host associated with the wireless terminal by way of DHCP; anda processor that executes the instructions.

8. The communications apparatus of claim 7 being a base station.

9. The communications apparatus of claim 7, the memory comprises further instructions for:providing a request for a home address to a home agent by way of MIP; andreceiving the home address by way of MIP.

10. A communications apparatus, comprising:means for receiving a registration request from a wireless terminal by way of MMP;means for providing IP configuration information to the wireless terminal, the configuration information is associated with a host device related to the wireless terminal; andmeans for configuring the host device by way of DHCP.

11. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:means for receiving a DHCP discover message from the host device; andmeans for responding to the DHCP discover message.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:means for providing a request for a home address to a home agent by way of MIP; andmeans for receiving the home address by way of MIP.

13. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:receiving a registration request from a wireless terminal by way of MMP;providing IP configuration information to the wireless terminal, the configuration information is associated with a host device related to the wireless terminal; andconfiguring the host device by way of DHCP.

14. A base station comprising the machine-readable medium of claim 13.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13 having stored thereon further machine-executable instructions for:receiving a DHCP discover message from the host device; andresponding to the DHCP discover message.

16. A processor that executes the following instructions:receiving a request with respect to registering a wireless terminal by way of MMP;providing an IP address to the wireless terminal by way of MMP; andconfiguring a host associated with the wireless terminal by way of DHCP.

17. The processor of claim 16 configured to further execute the following instructions:providing request for a home address to a home agent by way of MIP; andreceiving the home address by way of MIP.

18. A method that facilitates configuring a host device, comprising:creating a registration request that conforms to MMP, the registration request is generated on behalf of a host device;transmitting the registration request to a base station by way of a wireless link; andreceiving a registration response that conforms to MMP, the registration response relates to configuring the host device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising indicating within the registration request that a registration is an initial registration.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:receiving a DHCP discover message from the host device;responding to the DHCP discover message with a DHCP offer message;receiving a DHCP request message from the host device; andresponding to the DHCP request message with a DHCP acknowledgement message.

21. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:a memory that retains instructions for:generating an MMP registration request message on behalf of a host device;providing the MMP registration request to a base station over a wireless link; andreceiving an MMP registration response message from the base station,the response message indicates that an IP address is available with respect to the host device; anda processor that executes the instructions.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, the memory includes further instructions for indicating to the host device that a link is available with respect to the base station.

23. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, the memory includes further instructions for:providing a sequence number within the MMP registration request;indicating whether a registration associated with the MMP registration request is an initial registration; andproviding a timestamp within the MMP registration request.

24. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, the memory includes further instructions for configuring the wireless communications apparatus to act as a DHCP server with respect to the host device.

25. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:means for creating a registration request that conforms to MMP, the registration request is generated on behalf of a host device;means for transmitting the registration request to a base station by way of a wireless link; andmeans for receiving a registration response that conforms to MMP, the registration response relates to configuring the host device.

26. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:generating an MMP registration request message on behalf of a host device;providing the MMP registration request to a base station over a wireless link; andreceiving an MMP registration response message from the base station, the response message indicates that an IP address is available with respect to the host device.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 26 having stored thereon further machine-executable instructions for indicating to the host device that a wireless link is available with respect to the base station.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 26 having stored thereon further machine-executable instructions for:receiving a DHCP discover message from the host device;responding to the DHCP discover message with a DHCP offer message;receiving a DHCP request message from the host device; andresponding to the DHCP request message with a DHCP acknowledgement message.

29. A processor that executes the following instructions:generating a registration request with respect to a device that hosts the processor, wherein the registration request conforms to MMP;transmitting the registration request to a base station; andreceiving a registration response message from the base station, wherein the registration response message indicates to the processor that an IP address has been assigned to the device that hosts the processor.

30. The processor of claim 29 further configured to execute the following instructions:upon receipt of the registration response message, indicating to the device that hosts the processor that a wireless link is available with respect to the base station.

Description:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/792,144, entitled METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENT NETWORK ACCESS, and filed on Apr. 13, 2006. The entirety of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

[0002]I. Field

[0003]The following description relates generally to communications systems, and more particularly to configuring a host in a wireless communications system.

[0004]II. Background

[0005]Wireless networking systems have become a prevalent means to communicate with others worldwide. Wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, and the like have become smaller and more powerful in order to meet consumer needs and to improve portability and convenience. Consumers have become dependent upon these devices, demanding reliable service, expanded areas of coverage, additional services (e.g., web browsing capabilities), and continued reduction in size and cost of such devices.

[0006]A typical wireless communication network (e.g., employing frequency, time, and code division techniques) includes one or more base stations that provides coverage areas to subscribers as well as mobile (e.g., wireless) devices that can transmit and receive data within the coverage areas. A typical base station can simultaneously transmit multiple data streams to multiple devices for broadcast, multicast, and/or unicast services, wherein a data stream is a stream of data that can be of independent reception interest to a user device. A user device within the coverage area of that base station can be interested in receiving one, more than one or all the data streams carried by the composite stream. Likewise, a user device can transmit data to the base station or another user device.

[0007]To enable a wireless device to communicate within a wireless network, such device or a host associated therewith must be configured. In particular, in packet-switched networks, a host device (e.g., a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, . . . ) must be configured prior to enabling such device to utilize network services, wherein configuration can include receiving an appropriate IP address, for example. Conventionally, a host device is configured through communications made in accordance with the mobile IP protocol (MIP) between, for instance, a host device, an access node (e.g., base station), and a home agent. An over-the-air (OTA) link between the host device and the base station, however, may be constrained, and MIP can require transmission of a substantial amount of data over such link. Thus, a significant amount of resources associated with the OTA link may be utilized when a host is being configured, thereby reducing available resources with respect to other host devices in coverage area of an access node.

SUMMARY

[0008]The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the claimed subject matter. This summary is not an extensive overview, and is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0009]The claimed subject matter relates to configuring a host device through utilization of MMP, which is a protocol that is based upon MIP but not associated with several deficiencies associated therewith. In particular, a wireless terminal can be configured to run MMP and send messages that conform to MMP over a wireless link. A base station can be configured to act as a DHCP server. The base station can provide configuration information to host device by way of DHCP.

[0010]In accordance with an aspect, a method for configuring a host device is described herein, where the method comprises receiving a request with respect to registering a wireless terminal by way of MMP, providing an IP address to the wireless terminal by way of MMP, and configuring a host associated with the wireless terminal by way of DHCP. A wireless communications apparatus is also disclosed, where the apparatus can include a memory that retains instructions for receiving a request with respect to registering a wireless terminal by way of MMP, providing an IP address to the wireless terminal by way of MMP, and configuring a host associated with the wireless terminal by way of DHCP. The wireless communications apparatus can additionally include a processor that executes the instructions.